Qatar denies Amnesty allegations of exploitation of migrant workers.
LONDON: The Qatari government said on Tuesday that its labor system is still a work in progress, but denied allegations in an Amnesty International report that thousands of migrant workers in the 2022 World Cup host nation were being trapped and exploited.
A 48-page Amnesty report, Reality Check 2021, said practices such as withholding wages and charging workers to change jobs remained prevalent, despite labor reforms in 2014, as the country prepares to host the soccer tournament next year.
“The apparent complacency of authorities is leaving thousands of workers at continued risk of exploitation by unscrupulous employers, many of whom are unable to change jobs and face wage theft,” said Mark Dummett, program director for the Amnesty Global Affairs, cited by The Guardian.
“They have little hope of reparation, compensation, or justice. After the World Cup, the fate of the workers who remain in Qatar will be even more uncertain.”
However, a statement from the Qatari Government Communication Office rejected claims that labor reforms have not led to changes on the ground for thousands of migrant workers.
“Amnesty does not document a single story of the 242,870 workers who have successfully changed jobs since barriers were removed in September 2020 or the more than 400,000 workers who have directly benefited from the new minimum wage through increases. salaries and other financial incentives, “the statement said.
“Qatar has never shied away from acknowledging that its labor system is still a work in progress,” he added. “The government is committed to collaboratively and constructively collaborating with international partners and critics to further improve standards for all migrant workers in Qatar.”
The 2022 World Cup is scheduled to begin on November 21 and will feature 32 teams.